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Friday, 21 July 2017

The Cambridges Conclude the Royal Tour in Hamburg & A New Photo of George!

The Cambridges spent the final day of their royal tour of Poland and Germany in Hamburg.

The Duke and Duchess travelled from Berlin to Hamburg via train this morning.

They were warmly welcomed at Dammtor Railway Station.

Hamburg is Germany’s second largest city, and home to its largest harbour. It is known for its strong links to the UK, which go back to the Hanseatic League in the 13th century.

The first stop for the Duke and Duchess was the Maritime Museum on the bank of the river Elbe. The visit was planned to "celebrate" the joint UK-German year of science, which this year is focused on oceans.

The museum houses a huge collection of model ships, construction plans, uniforms, and maritime art, amounting to over 40,000 items and more than one million photographs.

It opened in a former warehouse in 2008. The private collection was started in 1934 by Peter Tamm - former chairman of the board of Axel Springer AG. Tamm said his interest was sparked when his mother presented him with his first model ship when he was six years old.

The building is the oldest preserved warehouse in Hamburg, built between 1878 and 1879 by the architects Bernhard Georg Jacob Hanssen and Wilhelm Emil Meerwein. It was built with a supporting structure of wood and steel columns, the outer walls of bricks also supporting the building. It was designed in neo-Gothic style.

'Three thousand years worth of maritime history are displayed on nine ‘decks’ with precious exhibits, model ships and paintings. There is an entire deck dedicated to marine research.

At the beginning there was the ocean. Humans stood at the shore, ready to sail unto new horizons. From there the journey through three thousand years of seafaring history begins. Historical documents and sea charts reveal how the modern world-view has developed. Particularly valuable: a copy of the "Atlantis Majoris" from 1657, the first nautical atlas printed in the Netherlands.

Hand painted crown compasses and shining, golden sextants lead into an era in which a keen eye and steady hand were required to determine the course. A signal station with Teletype machinery and signal codes demonstrates how seafarers communicated up until the twentieth century. Selected models show various strands of development in shipping: from Phoenician galley and Roman trireme to Viking dragon boats, from cog ships of the Hanseatic period and the explorer’s caravels to the last of the windjammers.'

William and Kate viewed a model of Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia, the former royal yacht of the Queen, in service from 1954 until 1997.

In 1997, the Conservative government committed itself to replacing the Royal Yacht if re-elected, while the Labour Party refused to disclose its plans for the vessel. After Labour won the general election in May 1997, it announced the vessel was to be retired and no replacement would be built. The Queen wept openly at the moving decommissioning ceremony for Britannia.

The visit will have been of particular interest to the Duchess who revealed during a speech last week: "I have always been in awe of the sea." The Palace said Kate has a "particular interest in ocean ecology".

The couple listened to a presentation.

The museum houses a model of the Queen Mary II made entirely of lego.

William and Kate made their way through Hamburg’s dockside warehouse quarter to the Elbphilharmonie.

Opened in January 2017, the "Elphi" was built with the aim of creating a new city landmark. It is one of the biggest concert halls in the world and renowned for its advanced acoustics.

They joined the orchestra on stage, before listening to a special performance by the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra. The audience was filled with children from all corners of the city, with the aim of inspiring a new generation to develop a passion for music and perhaps play at the venue in years to come.

Kate conducted a few bars of Beethoven's 5th.

Simon Vigar reports:

Simon Vigar Twitter

On the Elphi with the Mayor.

The Duke and Duchess then departed by boat and travelled down the River Elbe to their final destination for this tour: Airbus.

The scene on the River Elbe.

The company’s base in Hamburg is home to production, maintenance and training facilities. The couple toured the complex and met apprentices, both German and English.

The Duke and Duchess visited the final assembly line of an A320 aircraft and viewed the cockpit of a near-complete plane.

One the final walkabout.

William put a big smile on this little boy's face :)

Then it was time for the Cambridges to head back to London.

Charlotte took a tumble after stomping her feet when Kate took some papers away from her...

....mom Kate quickly caught her.

William and Kate comforted her.

The two-year-old was a little upset but quickly recovered.

A handshake for the Princess.

A video from Sky:

Princess Charlotte is consoled by her mother after appearing to throw a tantrum while the royals are on tour pic.twitter.com/ANgRKf1nbD

Kate opted for a vibrant pop of colour for the final day of the tour - wearing a lavender bespoke dress by Emilia Wickstead. The knee-length dress features long sleeves and a set-in waistband.

The lavender shade is a favourite of Wickstead, featuring prominently in the designer's Fall 2015 Collection. Below the similar Esther Wool-Crepe Midi Dress, and currently available in a similar colour, the Live Cloque Midi Dress.

Emilia Wickstead

The Duchess embraced the colour-block trend by teaming the dress with a red clutch.

And that brings the tour to a close. I want to thank all of you who followed the tour on the blog with us; I am immensely thankful for all the kind and supportive comments you left. One of the most enjoyable aspects is hearing your thoughts. There was, as one expects with a tour, an influx of new posters (welcome!), and with that I would like to encourage everyone to continue posting using a moniker, as it adds greatly to the quality of conversation. And the most important rule for the comments section: please be respectful to each other. I enjoyed the tour and thought it encompassed some lovely moments. William and Kate meeting the public, including several readers, was a wonderful experience for them, a focus on history and the visit to Stutthof in particular was the stand out moment of the tour for me.

We saw the Duchess opting for a mix of favoured and new designers as she continues to achieve sartorial diplomacy. There's been an increase in bespoke pieces on tours in recent years and less high street choices. It was great seeing George and Charlotte too; it's always a treat to catch glimpses of them growing up and their personalities. We'll look at Kate's wardrobe in depth next week during our Post Tour Polls. Finally, a big thank you to photographers James Whatling, Andrew Parsons, Stephen Lock and all who worked on the Pool Rota throughout - it would be impossible to produce these posts without your photographs. What did you think of the tour? What were your highlights? You can view all the Royal Tour coverage here.

Earlier we mentioned Prince George celebrates his fourth birthday tomorrow. To mark the occasion Kensington Palace released a darling new photograph of the Prince, taken by Chris Jackson at KP last month. Chris is married to Kate's PA/Stylist Natasha Archer. The photographer wrote on Instagram "I'm thrilled and honoured that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen to release this portrait I took to celebrate Prince George's 4th Birthday. He is such a happy little boy and certainly injects some fun into a photoshoot!" The photo was released with the message "TRH are very pleased to share this lovely picture, and would like to thank everyone for all of the kind messages they have received".

Kensington Palace

It's a terrific photo of George, sending the little Prince the happiest of birthday wishes!

416 comments:

I usually love most of kate's looks - but why on earth would she carry a red clutch when wearing a lilac dress? The colours don't go together at all.Also , no accesoires? What about a necklace, or her deep plum shoes with the bow instead of the nude ones?I imagine she will be very hot today in the long sleeves - it is over 30 degrees Celsius!

I disagree...I think red and lilac go together very well. Also, I would imagine that when choosing shoes for day-long events such as on this tour, Kate would choose comfort over style. Maybe these shoes are more comfortable than others that may make look more stylish. And these go with everything.

Sonja: Catherine's plum-coloured velvet shoes would not go with this dress. They are not a spring/summer piece; they are winter shoes. Furthermore, they are evening shoes; Catherine was dressed for daytime today.

I agree with Pam. The clutch looked lovely with the dress. I thought the duchess looked fresh and prim. Truly beautiful.

I agree, I don't like the red clutch with purple. It doesn't go. Nice she isn't trying to be so Matchy matchy, or pick nude, but I don't like this choice either. Red isn't even a complientary color on the color wheel, so she was trying to be different. Just didn't work for me. Love the color of her dress but it is similar to a lot of others. Earrings go very well with it!

Can't belive it's the last day already. Although I'm very tired, can't imagine how tired they are. I would say this has been a very successful tour! (Although such things are very hard to measure). It has felt very balanced. It has been heavy, it has been light, they have highlighted charities and causes and they have given us the "these places look great and fun, let's go there"-feelings. All in all a win!

On the clothes today: Hmm... no.. I don't think I like this dress. I mean, there is nothing objectively wrong with it for the event so this is just my very subjective feeling. I don't know what it is. I like that she's wearing a colour she usually doesn't. And I like the skirt. But I think it's the combination of the slightly tame colour, the fabric texture and the long sleeve and high neck. It just doesn't jive with me fully. Again, it's perfectly appropriate and I'm not the one wearing it, but it's not my taste. I think it's mostly the long sleeves this time.I like that she is pairing it with an unexpected colour, but I don't know if it's successful. I must say though, I think her shoes this time look wonderful with the dress. The colours work well together.

oh dear. "Cone Bra II", the sequel. lolfoundation, foundation, foundation. Shades of Pippa. The side view even more than the front. When will these girls learn. The style and color of the dress could have been so nice..... The red purse with the tan suede shoes? And suede shoes with a summery lilac? Learning to mix it up the wrong way. Again. Not edgy. Just wonky. Again. No offense. Just expressing my opinion. Kate needs a good stylist.

Clarity. I love, love, love the dress and I very much love the color and the red purse with it. Just not the bra she wore, or the tan shoes with the purple dress and purse. From a photo where Kate is picking up Charlotte you can see a silhouette of the bra Kate wore. The one that squished. A tube bra. It appears to be black. It just ruins the effect of the beautiful dress. Kate. No more tube bras please.That apparently is what caused the squished boob effect on that mint green lace dress when she met the Prime Ministet in India. Mystery solved.

Kate should have called me. I have a a pair of lavender suede shoes that would look great with this. Manolos with closed toe and ties around the instep/ankle. They're awesome. I should wear them more. But I love them and I'm afraid I'll get the suede dirty so I don't.

Yes, you're right, surfer girl. It's definitely the same bra today as the one in the green Temperley, that smushes down the top of the breasts and makes them kind of push out in an odd way. At first today I thought it was a built-in bra, there was something odd about it I couldn't put my finger on. I think it's because it's a strapless bra, it's extra tight across the top and that's what causes the effect of the pressed down upon boob :) My strapless bras do the same thing, but I would think she could afford to get a high quality one that fits better.

Well, it's not as bad as the lace Ascot dress - I was just looking a royal magazine I was sent -and that dress was almost completely transparent - not just in one photo but many - what a pity slips are out of fashion - they were going out in my working days too but I still wore them for that very reason under light dresses.

I hope so, Pam. It's too important not to be addressed. I wish someone near her had the courage and kindness to tell her. She is seen before all the world and meeting prominent people. Such a small change would a big effect.

Oh my. I thought I was the only one in the world who has shoes I hesitate to wear and purses I hesitate to carry because I don't want to get them dirty or looking worn out. I like them that much.Whew. Liberating. Thanks bluhare. uh, I so hope you were being serious. lol

I love the color too, Tedi. A beautiful summer color that is beautiful on her. The style is plain but it fits her well and as Rebecca observes, it is graceful in movement. I think it would look less plain if we could see the pretty earrings. This is one downside of the new hairstyle. We can't see the sparklers as well as when she has her hair in a pony or hair up style. Of course because I love bracelets, I wish she had one.

Rebecca, when I saw this dress I thought WOW! The color is lovely, the fabric is beautiful and the tailoring to Kate and her figure is spectacular. Agreed coupled with those earrings that we saw on the Bhutan tour. As the pictures continued to flow into the Charlotte's blog, I kept thinking it was even better than my first impression. Sometimes, best to wait for one than one photo. ;-)

I so agree! This could be taken from boring (which it is) to quite nice with a necklace. The total look is just so ho hum but I agree the color is nice. What's up with the red purse. Again I say who is advising Kate!

I agree. I think the dress is lovely on her. She looks gorgeous, I think the color suits her perfectly. I'm also confused about long sleeves in hot weather, but maybe they'll be inside more where it will be cooler?? Not sure.

My husband laughs at me for following Kate. Honestly I don't know why I do it either. It's a running joke with him because it is literally the anti-thesis of what people would peg me for. I think that if my friends and colleagues knew about this they would faint. Actually no one better find out because that might seriously undermine my authority at work LOL. I chalk it down to not being allowed to play with barbies as a young girl (my daughter isn't allowed either.. but that is another topic). Kate is indeed everyone's dream princess in looks, isn't she ? Princess barbie sums it up perfectly.

I can so relate, Rosman. I am not a celebrity follower at all usually. And to say that my family teases me about following Kate (and Meghan, they don't know about her yet), would be an understatement. They have made it a sport. (All in love and good fun). I prayed for the boys after Diana passed and so developed an interest in who they dated and prayed that God would let them have their perfect mate. I followed William's long courtship of Kate and became supportive of her then, although, admittedly, I almost gave up when she seemed to be tolerating more antics from William than I ever would have. In fact, I had just purchased a People magazine with them on the cover and it was talking about their dating. I thought to myself, "That's it already. William do something. I'm done with all this". And I decided not to follow the prolonged and sometimes rocky courtship anymore and I threw the magazine, with fervor, lol, into the trash bin. The very next day they announced their engagement and I fished the (still clean) magazine out of the trash and immediately started to plan a neighborhood "let's watch the Royal wedding" party. lolI think Kate is a special person in a very special position and she has grown quite dear to me even though I don't know her personally at all. I am excited about William and Kate's future, and Harry's.

I, too, am lovingly teased about my royal family hobby. :) Hey, at least it's better than following the Kardashian's! ;)

I'm teased a little, like I said, but whenever anything cute or pretty or noteworthy happens in the BRF, they are all tagging me on facebook in the articles. :)

And, I've warmed my husband up a touch to it all. I listen to him talk about his craft beer hobby and he listens to the latest on The Family from me (of course it helps if he's had one of those beers first and I talk fast...)!

I was 10 when Charles and Diana married and watched the wedding on television and fantisized about it all for years (now I wouldn't trade places with a single one of them). I think I had just been told the meaning of my name (Sarah) is "princess" and somehow decided I was a princess too! Lol I was very naive and when People magazine (my sole source) reported unhappiness in the Wales' household I would get so upset because it was like, "You're a PRINCESS! What could there possibily be to be upset about?!" Ahhhh, the innocence of youth.... lol.

Leo is used to me being a royal supporter - he knew what he was in for when people gave us their old souvenir plates and enamel boxes for the royal wedding for wedding gifts - little did anyone know how inappropriate that was! 'We hope you are as happy as Charles and Diana' - what can I say! Thankfully, it didn't curse us! He's not a republican although more and more people seem to be and I miss the interest that used to be everywhere. (Where I once used to chat about Diana with friends now I don't say anything unless they raise the topic first and it seems safe.)

But Leo's not precisely a royalist. He went a little crazy when Diana died and I was endlessly watching - we had a television back then - don't now. He couldn't bear all the lovely photos of her - even the dogs picked up the somber mood. But most of the time, he just mutters about my royal interests and particularly hates it when I can't sleep and get on Duchess Kate in the middle of the night. The few times I've suggested we might go watch something - like the rehearsal for the trooping (let alone the actual thing) he became very stubborn so I don't push that. I know my limits.

I'm very happy with this look, I love the Duchess in lavender! She's really nailed it with most of her fashion choices on this tour. She looks über confident & radiant :) The lavender Kikis go great with this dress, I'm also loving the red clutch. So sad it's nearly all over :(

Thank you Charlotte for the informative post! I love all things maritime and that museum looks fascinating!!

I saw a photo earlier on a news site of the couple arriving at the train station for the journey. I didn't really like the dress in those photos. It seemed so very plain. I thought it needed a nice statement necklace, a simple scarf, a Chanel shoulder bag, something. The photos in your post look better, I can see the dress' movement and how it flatters Kate's figure. I still think a simple necklace would have been nice and a small shoulder bag rather than the clutch.

Jo was it you talking about Tayto sandwiches? Whoever it was has given me my new favorite lunch. I now put my favorite potato chips in my sandwich when I have one, and it's delicious!! Not exactly the healthiest, but I like it.

And to see an example of Kate's hair without extensions, there's a photo a post or two back with her and Harry pre marriage. Her hair is a lot different and it's not just the length and style I think. Personally I like it better than all the waves and curls, but that's because I have curly hair and always wanted it straight!

Bluhare, I confess, I was the one who described the joy of potato chips in sandwiches. I just came across a new flavor at the Centra last night--Keogh's Shamrock and Sour Cream. Truthfully they taste like sour cream and onion but they are good in a blaa roll with chicken (I am going to leave you to Google what a blaa is.)

Re my reaction to the tour: I don't keep up with many media outlets Katewise (I guiltily read the Daily Mail online so run across Kate and Harry stuff there) so I really don't know about the tour from all of the media's perspective. I have heard from news bytes that the German media followed their every move, the Polish people certainly seemed excited about them being there. Huge crowds that seemed far larger than anything C & C can muster. But that's only my perception. The only time I went Googling for reaction during the tour was when we were having such an intense discussion over the concentration camp attire. Didn't find any inkling of that level of discussion anywhere else.

I think this was a difficult tour because of Brexit. The government in England seems to be in such chaos (Julia could comment more sagely) that I would imagine it was like navigating a minefield in terms of what to say and not to say on both sides--W & K's and their Polish and German hosts. So W & K tried to keep it about what the countries have in common, exports and imports, history. I think they certainly won over their hosts, looking at the videos of the mayors and museum curators, artists, chatting away to them I would think they certainly raised their visibility with them. And with the people of those countries as well. They very much had the common touch.

When C & C came to Ireland two months ago they barely made a stir. But now our Taoiseach is dying to have W & K come over. Now of course Ireland is very, very worried about Brexit but I think Leo feels that they have star power and as a new Taoiseach he would love to have them.

I wonder if the Royal Press is turning to C & C because they are desperate for each other. C & C to build up Camilla's credit so there will be no ripple to her becoming Queen and the Press because, well, they are being courted by them and giving them more to write about.

I honestly don't know. I just know that this was a super tour without any drama and loads of sweet, intimate moments. I thought that there were many informal moments--the teasing, the hugs, the children being natural and not orchestrated (my childhood experiences are several generations away and not modern)--that are coming to be a mark of their tours. I thought it was poignant that W said he didn't remember a lot about Britannia. If memory serves me right (Julia, help me with this) he and Harry went with their parents on their Italy tour on Britannia and they went to Canada on Britannia as well. That famous photo of Diana rushing ahead of Charles to embrace them I think was taken in Canada? Or was it Italy? I wonder if he does very well remember Britannia but they aren't happy memories. I don't think things were happy behind the scenes on either of those tours.

I actually don't think the tension really had anything to do with W & K or the tour. I just think some people on this blog for some reason once again got emotionally invested (as has happened often before) and took the whole thing way too seriously. There are so many other truly awful things happening in the world right now. As surfer girl said, think about 70 years ago! Contrast that with this tour--who would have thought! Yet today we have governments imploding on both sides of the Atlantic, natural disasters, people continuing to kill each other or hate each other when we ought to know better. This was a nice tour, a positive tour, a four-day respite from the nitty gritty (to me that IS 'magic'), nothing tragic happened on it (whew!) and I think I will leave it at that. (And still wish that dress came in a size larger than 6!)

I'm not overwhelmed with this look, but it's growing on me. I googled if lilac might perhaps be the colour of Hamburg, but I don't think so. Lilac, or purple is the colour of royalty, so I decided that Kate is just being a beautiful royal princess today. The dress is simple, stylish and the shoes match perfectly. Her earrings are gorgeous. I would have chosen a more neutral coloured clutch, but that's just me. Red, hmmm, why I wonder. Maybe Kate got up too early and grabbed the wrong one, I do not know. I wish them a happy last day in Germany and maybe we will get to see the kiddies later!Royal Watcher

I love this dress! Kate is so lucky to be able to wear such a wide range of colors (and have them look great on her) and the lavender of this dress really suits her. The fit and flare of the skirt creates such lovely movement as she walks, just super. The earrings and clutch work beautifully as accessories.

The maritime museum looks like it would be worthy of a full day to explore and read all of the exhibits.

I love the color and the style of this dress. Kate looks great in it. My own personal style would have been to add a statement necklace and wear a different shoe. However, after years of following Kate, I have come to the realization based on how she dresses that it is not her style to accessorize! So, I have stopped wishing for the accessories. I had hoped on this tour that she would continue with some interesting shoes today but no luck. Overall, I think it has been a great tour! She has looked really beautiful and I love the new hair!

So true! She does not accessorize a lot, her comfort level,is earrings. So be it. (And She does have some great earrings!) This look is safe and professional. Also the color can be " seen." And again, I love her shorter hair! Thanks for the great posts! And comments too!

Love this dress, especially the colour which I think is one of the best ever on Kate - similar to that beautiful gown she wore in Los Angeles. I might have picked the shorter version of the midi dress with the straight skirt but this shape is one Kate likes. The sleeveless one would have been pretty too and more summery. I would have added a necklace, or dare I say it, a brooch, bur the simple lines do remind me of the early dresses Kate wore in 2011.

The deep violet shoes would be nice with it but probably too much for a day on her feet. I'm okay with the red bag - interesting colour blocking.

My first thought was "a bit boring", but the more I look at it the more I like it. Like the lavender colour, like the red clutch (not so much paired with that dress). Yes maybe a brooch would have looked nice. However, I think it is very Kate style and she looks good in it.

Thank's Charlotte for the post. I had the chance to visit Hamburg last year and it was unforgetable experience. Hamburg is a beautiful city. The pictures you posted of Hamburg remind me of all the sweetest memories I have lived there. Thank you again.Yesterday, I was really excited about Catherine choices. The two dresses were a big win for her. Very appropriate, fresh and elegant. Even I wasn't a fan of Sandals but I can understand what she wanted to say through what she wore. There was some identity. It was so kate. And I was so happy for that.Today, there is no "kate", no effort to make the dress more elegant. For me, I don't like the dress, not either its cut. I expect a summer dress with more accessories.Finally, what I really get from this tour that catherine is living a kind of " struggle" to find her style. She is stuck in her safe zone and her princess image and that shows us how hard to be a princess in nowadays. Really extremely tough specially under all this media and public opinion pression.Amy

As others have said it looks too hot for July in Europe with the high neck and long sleeves, a combo we've not seen Kate wear on this trip. A scarf at the neck (something Kate never wears for whatever reason) could have tied the clutch color to the dress color but that would have made it even hotter. Although the lavendar Kikis match the dress, maybe the arrival ruby/garnet earrings could have helped with the color dress/clutch tie but the arrival necklace probably would have been too wimpy (even though it was a fairly big stone) Maybe red shoes instead? I don't like these with the dress anyway--I've finally accepted suede as a yr round material but still I don't like brown/tan shades of suede in summer. I don't know. Not a fail but as others have said, just incomplete somehow. I have never liked EW's trademark "unfinished" look (raw seaming etc) but that's not a problem here thank goodness (although I've not seen the back of the dress so I may be speaking too soon.)

I like Kate's adventurous choice of a red clutch to go with her lilac dress, but I would have changed the shoes to a deep red pair. The LK Bennett Sasha pump in Merlot would have been great with this outfit.

Ugh, nice dress, pretty color (albeit rather heavy for a hot summer day), but if I could burn one item in Kate's wardrobe it's those nude-colored suede shoes. Their slightly brown tint means Kate always picks a pair of stockings that are tanner and thicker than her actual skin tone. Once we marveled at Kate's sheer, elegant stockings. Stocking makers around the world stepped up their game and made stockings that were thin and with no hint of the grandma orange tan. Hell, I bought a bunch of those stockings because I actually prefer it when wearing pumps (no blisters)!. But kate seems to have gone backwards towards those thick, dark tights.

I don;t mind the wedges. They are her go-to comfortable shoes. But I feel like her love for these nude suede stilettos with the thick tan hose she wears with them is hiding what seems to be her biggest insecurity: her short calves and large feet. They don't look comfortable. They don't look good. She wears them with everything and they actually go with nothing.

Well ... no interest .... plain colour which is nice , but this dress without any accessory ! Colour block, high neckline, tight sleeves ... the clutch is out dated, and would have matched a stronger purple shade, not that pale lavender, and the shoes ...... sometimes I wonder if she does not carry her bags herself, hence the repeat of shoes or clutches which don't match with the clothes.....just joking ! She could try the "capsule" style, a few cleverly chosen clothes that can match into several outfits .... I wonder how she will when she is old...... do you think the children are already back to England ?

This is probably my favourite look of the whole tour. It's very "Kate" but still gorgeous and fresh. That colour! Her hair also looks great today. It must be tricky figuring out how to style a new cut, but she nailed it today I think.

I'm very sad the tour is ending! How will I keep myself occupied when I'm at work?! Thanks so much for your updates, Charlotte.

Lynn I too liked the print dress she wore yesterday, but don't think that it was the print that was so busy, as much as I think all the pleats on the dress took away from the print. There was a lot of detail and it was a pretty print that got lost in the pleating. The other dresses shown showcased the print better, you could actually see the bird. With that being said, I liked the print very much and it was a beautiful color. You are right though that the solids seem to photograph so much better. Some prints need to be seen in person to be appreciated. cc

I like the dress but it doesn't seem like a summer dress, escept for the color. It seems wintery or early spring. I think a necklace would be nice at the neck since the dress is so plain. I'd suggest a scarf or pin, but Kate doesn't really wear either of them.I like the pop of color of the clutch s but I wouldn't wear red with lavender. I really like that she was not matching with her shoes and clutch.I'm not seeing an issue others see with her foundation garments, some women's bustlines naturally sit lower than others,

What a wonderful tour it has been! I am proud and happy that Kate and William got to experience 'my' country and I hope they take good memories with them. I think it was a successful tour which emphasized the strong relationship and friendship between GB and Germany/Poland. Now I'm so sad that they're leaving! But I it has been a whirlwind tour full of engagements, hand shaking and always being exposed to cameras and they deserve some time off. I hope Kate, William and the children will come back to Germany soon :-)

It has really been a great tour. My (or at least one of my) favourite on this tour has been the welcome. So many people came out, so many hugs. They really seem to have been appreciated and they themselves have been interacting with many, many people including multiple walkabouts. Just the general connection between them and the people they met has been my favourite piece of the tour.

It's a Yay! And a meh for me. I adore the color. The cut and movement and fit on Kate all works. But, it's also very basic. Here's where basic is a great starting point and can be elevated. Jewelry would really make this pop. She is going with red(I appreciate the attempt to accessorize and color block). Maybe rather than the purple earrings, she wears red? Or do her new sunburst earrings and a textured neutral purse? Or, I bet there's some sort of brooch that has red in it. Maybe even purple too! But, those are just thoughts. Overall a pretty standard work outfit.

Maybe Charlotte will wear purple!!! That would be fun, and I think different too!

I agree about bringing a pop of color, and the sunburst earrings would've gone well with this dress, but overall this dress is a meh for me as well. Thank You Charlotte for all the hard work you have put into covering this tour for your followers!!! It is much appreciated :-)

Finally a nice outfit on this tour! Obviously everyone has their own opinion but I personally only liked this outfit - the others seemed either inappropriate or too old for her. She looks her age for once, instead of 40+!

I actually think she looks great today. Her color blocking is on point and it's nice to see her in a shade she doesn't often wear. This particular shade of lavender is just the right amount of bright. It compliments her skin and hair really well. I like the nude shoes here, too.

Love that Kate has experimented a bit more with prints and edgier designs this tour. They weren't all my favorites, but many were total wins and I did like elements of the looks that weren't my favorites. I hope she continues to branch out when she gets back to regular engagements.

Anyone else think her hair and makeup have looked much better since this tour began? I don't know what's different, but it looks much more polished than it has in awhile.

I don't comment on this site often, but I am a faithful follower. Honestly, this tour proved to me that Kate is a woman very much in control of her personal. While I think she does have help with clothing, it is clear that she makes the final decisions since I haven't seen her stray too far from her normal silhouette. She hasn't allowed being apart of the Firm to change who she is at the core. To me, this is the best I've seen her look since she got married. She's at a good weight and she's aging gracefully. All in all, I thought this was a well balanced and successful tour on all fronts!

What do you all think she does with all the flowers she is given while on tour? Leave them at the place they are staying for the hosts to enjoy or would that look ungrateful by giving them away? Take them back on the plane?

Also, last night as I was trying to go to sleep I was counting the number of outfits she wore on this tour (similar to counting sheep I suppose :) ) and it got me thinking, I bet, along with her tour clothes, they always pack a black mourning dress in case someone dies while they are away.

And, I'm sure a party is planned for tomorrow as a certain little boy turns 4!! Happy birthday Prince George! I have been imagining this week that he's been reminded (or bribed) a few times about his party and birthday when the tour is over. :)

Thank you Charlotte!! Your blog just keeps getting better and I don't know what I would do without it! I thoroughly enjoyed this tour with you as my guide. :)

They are a beautiful family and represent their country wonderfully! What genuine people they seem to be. The German and Polish people fell in love with Kate from the articles I've read. And, Princess Charlotte, you've stolen my heart! ❤

Middle parts are rarely the most flattering choice. But it's very in right now and Kate is pulling it off well, so as long as this is not the style she sticks too for the next 50 years I am very happy about this little change :)

Kate looked beautiful, but I'm perplexed as to why she would have this dress made with long sleeves when it's clearly a summer dress...she must never sweat!!! Gorgeous earrings, but i've never seen anyone pair a red bag with a lavender dress...She's in desperate need of a stylist to help pull these looks together.

Charlotte I understand you may not want to "go there" ;) but an interesting post tour discussion or analysis might be, why did this tour seem off to so many people?

Obviously there was unusual tension here on the blog, and though I haven't been here as long as others that seemed odd to me for a tour. Which made me look a little more at other opinions. And I saw right away that some other "middle of the road" royal bloggers and royal watchers found something was lacking.

Charlie Proctor at Royal Central said: "Our article on the Cambridges today amassed only 500 views. This is way below average for RC's articles."(My note: a lot of coverage in other places. In my opinion, that could be it)

Kate Middleton Style: "Tonight is SO quiet on here... I don't remember royal tours ever being this quiet? Where is everyone?!?!"

Gert's Royals: "This tour hasn't had the same magic and excitement as others. Even Kate's fashion, nothing there I'm dying for her to repeat."

Part time Royalist: "Totally agree, it's lacked the excitement of other tours. Genuine question: What do you think they should've/could've done differently?"

There were comments that it was "a little formulaic" or "Kate's looked lovely but no "wow" factor" etc etc. Obviously there were also the extremes - die hard Kate fans or I hate everything Kate does people :)

My initial impression, while there was variety, it's all just too structured, no relaxed, off the cuff, more informal moments. I also firmly believe William and Kate need to speak more, there have to be better moments that make better stories. You may hate Charles and Camilla and their "goofy" tour moments or photo ops, but it's a bit of fun and something to talk about, Camilla with the dagger made all the front pages! There needs to be a more personality coming through - again, my opinion.

It's tough for the press to keep writing, "they did this, they saw this, Kate wore this"... and speaking of the press, I think the royal press corps had a tough time of it, KP never provide very good travel considerations or cooperation when they're abroad. And they need to be allowed closer to their subjects, a little more mingling, to be able to pick up the more off the cuff moments.

There were impressive crowds, they got a lovely reception, though I'm not sure what kind of press coverage there was in Poland and Germany.

And I'm not sure that the late start helped every day. Again, likely done so they could spend time with the children in the morning. But perhaps another reason the children stay at home for a relatively short work trip? And it didn't help that George never looked happy till today when he was going home! It's upsetting to see a child a bit distressed or out of sorts, again, could have been any number of things, but it left an impression. Critics say the children were there for photo ops, fans say hands on parents can't bear to be without them. But both reiterate idea that William and Kate do what's best for them, not what's best for the job.

So just some thoughts as I look at some of the reaction. I'd certainly be interested to hear what everyone else thought, if it's fine by Charlotte.

Before the tour, I thought this was a really good itinerary, especially knowing that it is their "first" European tour. I agree with the commenters that it was a bit monotonous sometimes, there were few or none one liners, snippets,a short speech something that sticks with engagements. Also they started the day very late, and spent relatively short time at some events. Although it was nice to see the kids but I suppose next time, they leave them at home. I would totally understand that.

For me, on fashion front, there was no woww effect, there were a few nice pieces, I could vote for though.

I think or hope, their team also evaluate the tour, what worked, what did not, and will use that for their next tour.

I must be in a parallel universe regarding the tour then because as I said somewhere here today I think that this tour was a huge success. Time, Vogue, the Express, the Telegraph, the Daily Mail, etc. all seem to concur. Of course there will always be those who will negate William and Kate's efforts at every turn. It comes with the territory. But that exemplifies the two opposite factions typical of opposition since the world began.

I've noticed social media and such tends to be quieter during the summer months as people travel and vacation. In my previous life as a blogger, the summer months are always slow in terms of traffic and interaction..... I know that doesn't speak to the pizzazz that some speculate was missing from this tour from Kate and William but I thought it was a great blend of events personally.

Claudia, I agree that this tour was different. Very 'regimental'. But I attribute this to the fact that they were on a 'mission' to smooth the Brexit impact (since Germany is, with France, pretty much a co-founder of theEU, and many German officials almost took the British decision personally). So that is quite different from their previous tours, in particular those in Commonwealth countries.

I am one of those who didn't think that Kate's sartorial choices were great. Not sure why I even mention that, seems somehow there is on this blog a feel of two parties with one of them having too little tolerance versus the other's opinions. Oddly enough, other blogs don't have the issue (take for example What Kate Wore), so whilst I very much enjoy the informative style of the main posts (and your timing is impeccable, Charlotte), i find other sites don't shy away from a sensible, common sense based criticism of the Cambridge family (as they are also not perfect, I would venture to say they know that quite well themselves). And that includes calling out missteps on the sartorial side.

So whilst I'm enjoying the idea of having a discussion on the topic, Claudia, I confess i have little expectations as to how that would 'mend' the 'relationship' between the two sides. Worth a try, I would say (but also not sure that my reply will make it, cause it Ma generate yet another set of bipartisan opinions, so I get it and won't feel offended if it doesn't).

I think it's mainly that they're not the shiny new toys anymore. They still get tons of coverage and enthusiasm, just not the honeymoon levels.

Also, the children was a later addition. My guess is that it's a bit out of respect for the people actually fixing the events. They are usually there for hours before the royals so a later start is a bit kinder. But at 10-11 could work as well. I know Charles for example is praised for doing so much on tours but most people that work those tours complain alot about it because they barely get to sleep or eat since Charles keeps such a hectic and full schedule. I think a balance could be found though :)

Liv, on What Kate Wore, the talk is strictly clothing. No one assigns nefarious motives behind Kate's choice of outfit. I've never heard that she was " purposefully insensitive" "purposefully disrespectful" or "offensive" over there. It is kept to the clothes and clothes only.

People are misunderstanding what Philly wrote. She loves the differing opinions. She didn't want anyone to stop saying what they think but she was asking for a certain level of respect toward Kate during those discussions. It was about the language not the content.

I think the main difference to other tours was that during this one they were under immense political pressure. This is the most political and most important political thing they have done so far. But it was the biggest success it could have possibly been because it garnered love and affection for Britain from two countries that have regarded Brexit as a slap in their faces and one of which will be the main deciding force in the Brexit deal that will be reached. Internationally this tour may be beloved or it may not be - I don't know - but what matters is that it was beloved in Poland and Germany. Media coverage in Germany was huge and exclusively positive. (It tends to be when there is a royal visit to a European country that doesn't have a monarchy itself. We're kind of enchanted by it ;-) Even C&C got huge and very positive coverage when they were here in Vienna earlier this year and we all know they don't have the popularity of W&K.)

This tour should have a different feel. Up to now they have always toured realms or commonwealth countries. This is their first tour to countries with no historic ties to the UK. This tour has really reminded me that W&K are really only the heir's heir. This is no state visit, they are not even there on the invite of the hosting country, but rather at the invite of the British ambassador to the country. Yes, they do get a formal welcome and meet the chancellor/president, but the rest of the time they are being entertained by the British community. When they are touring realms, they are there as 'the royal family of Canada/Australia/..." which is something completely different from the heir to the heir visiting. Also keep in mind that their normal tours are in spring/autumn. Midsummer is not the best of time.

Claudia I think the later starts (mid-day or later) contributed to a lack of interest as it was too easy to forget the tour was happening. As Rebecca noted they aren't shiny new things anymore and that's true (although the children kind of are.) And yes, there was political pressure as Carline noted. But despite the strong interest here and in fashion mags there were also accounts published last year saying there was much less interest in the second Canadian tour compared to the tour of India about 6 months before. (And Canada II was a political minefield for other reasons!) But some of that lack of interest was blamed on the time difference in Canada compared to the UK. (That wasn't an issue for me because I'm in the US and doesn't really explain greater interest in India.) There was travel time involved within Canada but still there were late starts AND early stops most days presumably to allow family time with the children. (At least Trudeau had promised lots of private family time when he encouraged W&K to bring the kids.) I might get a negative reaction to this but I'll say it anyway. I still look forward to every tour and this one was was no exception. I learn alot about the places visited reading this blog and others. But the tours do seem to be changing more into holiday-type tours where we are observing W&K almost as though they are typical tourists on vacation. (Watch Will try this food. Watch Kate conduct an orchestra.) And be honest, no matter how much you like him/her, do you really want to see 1000 of your neighbor's vacation pictures? I can't quite put my finger on why it seems that way (especially since Will did give a few speeches this time) but part of it likely relates to later starts for this tour and later starts & early stops in Canada. It also likely relates to the lack of reporting of off-the-cuff remarks and conversations (which KP may wish to curtail anyway!) And last, austerity issues may make someone else's "vacation" less interesting than used to be the case. (Not that I think it WAS a vacation for W&K)

I agree, Caroline. This tour was hugely important in so many ways. And it warms my heart and amazes me to see the love between these people who only 54 years ago were in a fight to the death. 54 years in historical proportions is a very small amount of time. Truly a miracle.

Thanks so much for all your hard work during this tour. Next best thing to being there! I think the Duchess pretty much hit it out of the park on every outing. Nice to see new outfits and new pieces of jewelry and it was also a treat to get to see the children. Thanks again. I enjoyed all the coverage immensely.

I absolutely love, love, love this colour on her and those earrings are simply beautiful. She looked gorgeous this tour, some beautiful nods to her host countries, and so wonderful to see little George relax and smile on his little part of the tour. They are a gorgeous family. William's speeches were engaging and strong. They did us proud. Hope our tiny little Princess is ok after her tumbles. Thank you Charlotte for all the hard work you put in. it was so lovely to read everything xx

Another successful tour for Family Cambridge, Kate looked great and was apropriatly dressed for every occasion , Prince William looked good too!! I think its unfortunate that people make negative comments about the royal children, George is not yet 4 and Charlotte just 2, I think the glare of the sun affected both the children and comparing and contrasting the behaviour of the children is totally unfair, basically my philosophy is if you cant say something nice about a child say nothing!!!!!!

I didn't read all the comments, but I would think that if there are any negative ones about George & Charlotte, it's not about the children themselves (who are behaving as any normal very young children would do in this situation), it's directed towards William and Kate and their decision to bring them, because it was obviously hard on the children and a somewhat selfish decision to take them along. They would have been just fine for 4 1/2 days at home with the nanny and Grandma Carole, in their own beds and on their own schedules. So they miss each other for a few days, not the end of the world. William and Kate, I think, should treat these tours like a business trip. Who gets to take their kids along on a business trip? (and who wants to anyway?).

I realised this week that people live to see royal children, but then they want to stipulate that the children must be cute/adorable, smiling and enjoying themselves. What they forget is that children of that age don't fake it. Somethings they will enjoy and sometimes they will be grumpy, fussy, in need of a nap or just plain naughty and they won't be able to hide it.

This entire look knocked it out of the park for me. I loved it all, including the pop of the red bag against the lavender. Reading the comments makes me realize how this poor woman cannot win. Seems like half the people hated this look as much as I loved it. No matter what she wears some will love, some will hate and some will be in between.

Love the Royal tantrum! Typical sibling stuff! I have a sister 3 years younger than me, and she threw fits if she couldn't keep up with me. She ran away and hid on my mother the whole day on my first day going to school (first grade), because she couldn't go, too! :-) Also, I think a trip like this is quite a stretch for children so young. Overall I think they handled it pretty well. I think the entire family looks fabulous today in shades of pink and purple and blue.

I have to say that I love this dress also. So far all her outfits have been hits with me. I would have swapped out the red clutch for a navy blue one and would have worn blue heels instead of the beige ones. I don't know why one would pair lavender with red, but that's just me. But her hair finally looks good and she looks happy and healthy.

I think the only reason Emilia has much success is because of Kate. So many of her pieces look like beginning sewers made them. Kate does her best with them but ugh. It's my least favorite designer for her by far. Except that hideous light blue satin coat. *shudder*

Prince George, usually the temperamental one, stood by calmly watching Princess Charlotte have a go at dominating her mother. Didn't work, of course, and yes, Kate was very competent. She's seen a few tantrums by now!

Oh goodness! Just saw the video of Princess Charlotte getting mad at not getting to hold that paper Kate has (I guess). Totally adorable!! She even pulled out every 2 year old's secret weapon - throw yourself on the ground when all else fails! :) :)

Love Kate's look today and red certainly goes with purple, they are complementary colors!! As for Charlottes tumble it looks as if it was on purpose, she clearly wanted the papers in her moms hands and Kate wouldn't give in and she threw herself on the ground, we call that in SC a little hissy fit, which Kate responded by diverting her attention somewhere else!! Excellent parenting!!

I wondered if it had been a "I am going to sit down and have a hissy fit" as opposed to a "stumble" or trip. Did not see enough before photos to be able to tell, but I agree it looked like a good old fashion hissy fit:):) George looked in heaven on the helicopter, how fun.

If you study art, you will know that red and purple are not complementary colours, as you state Indigoisle. Complimentary colours are opposite each other on the colour wheel. It is yellow and purple that are complimentary. In the traditional RYB color model, the complementary color pairs are red and green, yellow and purple and blue and orange, Many of us don't like the red clutch with the lavender dress. They just clash.

I personally think that this is their most successful tour yet, certain sartorial choices aside. And, I think they enjoyed it the most. Just a guess. The children were amazing. They actually acted like children, with the sleepy-eyed arrival from George, the little trantrum of Charlotte's, contrasted by her curtsy, handshake and smelling the flowers and George's delight in the helicopter, and the sweet gazing from the jet windows.Could they be any cuter? I think not. :)

The family received loving reception, and they reciprocated generously. I am amazed and so happy at Kate's ability and graciousness all around, like taking the baton, etc. So, she gets a little nervous giving speeches, everything else she does with charisma, vim and vigor, and poise. And, courage. I have said it before. Kudos to William and Kate for putting themselves out there. It is a miracle that this mutual love from these nations was so evident. Only 54 years ago, only 54 years ago..... things were diametrically, diametrically different. If that isn't a miracle I don't know what is. That, again, in my opinion, makes this tour one of their most important to date. The Queen, Phillip, and the British government seem to like, respect, trust, be satisfied with them enough to let William and Kate carry the ball for such a hefty assignment. And they succeeded triumphantly. Rank/wise you would have thought Charles and Camilla would have done the tour. No offense, but I think that William and Kate (and George and Charlotte) were the perfect choice. Gracious and powerful diplomacy at it's best. :)

I personally think that this is their most successful tour yet, certain sartorial choices aside. And, I think they enjoyed it the most. Just a guess. The children were amazing. They actually acted like children, with the sleepy-eyed arrival from George, the little trantrum of Charlotte's, contrasted by her curtsy, handshake and smelling the flowers and George's delight in the helicopter, and the sweet gazing from the jet windows.Could they be any cuter? I think not. :)

The family received loving reception, and they reciprocated generously. I am amazed and so happy at Kate's ability and graciousness all around, like taking the baton, etc. So, she gets a little nervous giving speeches, everything else she does with charisma, vim and vigor, and poise. And, courage. I have said it before. Kudos to William and Kate for putting themselves out there. It is a miracle that this mutual love from these nations was so evident. Only 54 years ago, only 54 years ago..... things were diametrically, diametrically different. If that isn't a miracle I don't know what is. That, again, in my opinion, makes this tour one of their most important to date. The Queen, Phillip, and the British government seem to like, respect, trust, be satisfied with them enough to let William and Kate carry the ball for such a hefty assignment. And they succeeded triumphantly. Rank/wise you would have thought Charles and Camilla would have done the tour. No offense, but I think that William and Kate (and George and Charlotte) were the perfect choice. Gracious and powerful diplomacy at it's best. :)

They've divided Brexit visits among themselves. C&C did Ireland, Romania, Italy and Austria. W&K did Germany, Poland, France. Kate did the Netherlands and Luxembourg. (I hope I'm not forgetting anything.) But I can see your point. With no disrespect to any country intended, Germany and France were certainly the most important ones. Both went to W&K. Why? Probably because they are more popular and as we have seen, the result is obviously better if you send the more popular ones.

Question. There are so many, many beautiful tour photos of the Cambridges, especially of the children. Think Charlotte smelling her bouquet, Charlotte admiring her bouquet, her little handshake, George a little sleep-eyed, George beside himself in the helicopter, William and Kate over candlelight, Kate with the baton, etc., etc. Do they get copies of these photos for their personal use as I so very much hope they do? Surely James Whatling and Chris, Natasha's husband, (two of my very, very favorite royal photographers) could accommodate that. Please, does anyone know?

I wasn't crazy for a lot of Kate's outfits this tour. But I loved today's dress. Yes it is a simple design but it fits her perfectly and the drapping of the skirt is pretty. I am really in love with the lilac color. It's a dress I would wear in a heartbeat. She could have styled it better but I'm coming to accept that Kate doesn't know how to style an outfit. She can pick a pretty dress but doesn't know how to finish it off and make it a polished outfit. So gorgeous dress but could have been styled better.

I agree, Curious/Kat. As much as I love Kate, I have the opposite feelings for whomever is giving her styling assistant. I won't name names. SO many of Kate's outfits have some nice components, but then strange things are thrown into the mix and the result is wonky. And sometimes there are no nice components to the outfit at all. Sometimes they don't fit Kate, or the venue, or the weather or all three. That is why I will say for the umpteenth time, Kate needs a stylist. She represents a nation, the Royal family. She is one of the most photographed people in the world. At least 50% of diplomacy is appearance, in PR, etc. So why let her sartorially adrift? So many missed opportunities. So many pages in history already that could easily, very easily have been better. Kate is a beautiful woman inside and out. Kate is also a political asset. Do her honor, dress her right. Pleeease. Asap. You and bluhare

Overall, a very successful week. The crowds were wonderful, and certainly love this couple. William and Kate are the new royals, the next generation, and they conducted themselves with great aplomb.Thank you Charlotte for your informative, and always terrific coverage. You always make this tours a fun adventure. Looking forward to Belgium.

First of all a big thank you to you Charlotte for your grate work. It's a fashion blog but you provide so much detailed information about the itinerary. I always read this blog with a lot of pleasure :)

I'm a little bit sad that the tour has come to the end...am I the only one? Could watch the Cambridges again and again :)

Think this was a great tour and I'm so happy and thankful that the family of four visited Germany. Didn't think I would be thrilled that much ;-) but really really enjoyed watching them live in tv. And it's much different than looking only at fotos of short videos. To me Kate seems much more confident and natural than William (but maybe that's only my impression Hope they had a good time here in Germany (and Poland of course) and enjoyed their stay.

Ps. So so nice to see little George in his element inside the helicopter :)Every time I see George and Charlotte my heart is melting ❤

Let's drink another toast to Charlotte! This has been a very interesting and enlightening few days, massively well covered! I hope you take the weekend off, Charlotte, rest up, and have some fun away from us. :-)

I love this look!! I especially love that it's not all matchy, matchy!! The red bag looks fantastic with the purple dress, and paired with a nude suede shoe. Divine!! We've seen some proper "style" this tour, long may it continue.

Loved the dress! I liked the style and the color. I find Kate wears warmer things in summer than I normally would. I have thought that maybe the UK is cooler in the summer than Colorado and that is the reason why. Maybe she chose long sleeves so she can repeat it in the UK. I like Kate in very structured pieces. It shows off her gorgeous figure! It is not a style everyone can wear, but she wears them well. I, too, would liked to have seen a brooch or necklace or bracelet with the outfit. The earrings were perfect. I will never comment on colors because pictures are deceiving in that area. The reddish clutch did go with Charlotte's dress as one person mentioned. I think, personally, if anything at all was off about this tour it was because it it summertime and many people are on vacation. They may catch up on all things Kate when they get back home. Considering the different moods of the children I would not be surprised if they did not bring them again, but I hope I am wrong. They are so adorable and I just love seeing them. Maybe, bringing George a week before his birthday made him grumpy. A week is a very long time for a small child! It was nice to see him happy today whatever the reason. I hope we see them at the end of July. I expect August to be a quiet month and then full-time royal service from now on! Yippee!!

So excited to hear they are going to Belgium for WWI commendations in 7/30-31. A few more engagements before the summer break. I am most excited about the break because I know around the corner are changes for the Cambridges

William leaves air ambulancePermanent move back to LondonGeorge goes to schoolIncrease in royal duties

Hi Charlotte!! I have been reading your blog this whole week covering the tour of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I am so sorry I have yet to comment. I have been so busy, but I have to say Lavender is a great color on Kate. The more I see those shoes on her, the more I want to purchase them. I just might give in and finally get them, LOL! I of course did have my favorites, but I was just so thrilled with the whole trip. Another success in the books for everyone involved, including you!!

Thank you Charlotte for your coverage! I have really enjoyed following this tour. A think the perfect balance was struck between all the engagements. William and Catherine seemed relaxed and engaged with everyone they met. Perhaps it was because they had the kids with them and therefore weren't missing them.

This lilac dress is beautiful and I do love it against the red clutch. Those colour combinations can divide but I like them and this it works in this case.

I never perceived George as being grumpy - just as being a regular 2 year old. Their emotions can change from moment to moment. Being serious during a time of transition (from one event to another) is quite usual for little ones. If having a grumpy 2 (nearly 3) year old with you was an excuse for not taking them anywhere you'd never leave the house!!!

I really enjoyed this tour! All of her outfits were perfect to me. Today's dress was my favorite. But, it did seem a bit difficult with both little ones in tow! While I loved seeing George and Charlotte at many of the stops I did have a bit of sympathy for the Duke and Duchess trying to keep up with the events and two toddlers!

Just wanted to add that I think George and Charlotte are just the cutest things ever and I don't see how Kate can refrain from kissing them in public, when my boys were this age their cheeks stayed rosy from all my kisses, they are just to precious for words!!! And It just warms my heart how in love William and Kate appear to be, if anything ever happens we will have to remind them to look at their old pictures and how evident their love is!!

Love, Love, Love Prince George's smile in the 4th birthday photograph by Chris Jackson! We got some great candid shots from the tour, but I appreciate that William and Kate still decided to release the more "traditional" birthday photo as well to mark the occasion.

Looks like George and Charlotte are very tall for their age, they both have long legs, they will take that after their height. Does anyone think that perhaps because of Charlottes height, her dresses look a bit too short? In the US, the style is a bit longer for these Little smocked dresses, maybe in Europe the style is still short sort of like Shirley Temple. Does anyone else notice this??? Just curious!!

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I hope Grandma Carole is in charge of tomorrow's birthday party. And that it includes a happy pack of little friends and cousins doing fun activities! Thank you for the wonderful tour coverage, Charlotte. May you have a restful weekend off as well.

I'm glad Charlotte had a moment of two year-old type frustration. Now it's happened. Kate doesn't have to dread those kind of things knowing that the royal image wasn't ruined because of some little stomping feet. :) In fact, that quite endeared them to me even more.

Gorgeous! I would never think to pair red with lavender, but it looks great together. Who knew? I've said before that I'm a bit bored or the Kiki jewels, but these earrings to go great with the dress. The kids! So cute. I love this portrait of George! It's so natural and really radiates joy. Well done on all the wonderful coverage Charlotte! Another great job!

That birthday photo of Prince George is great! Can't believe he's growing up so fast. The commenter questioning Kate's choice of clutch with a lilac dress--maybe she forgot to pack something that matched!

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Kate's Calendar

18 February - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will attend the BAFTAs at the Royal Albert Hall. The Duke, President of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), and The Duchess will meet BAFTA representatives and watch the ceremony.

19 February - The Duchess of Cambridge and The Countess of Wessex will attend the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange at Buckingham Palace.

21 February - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit Sunderland. They will first visit The Fire Station, one of Sunderland’s most iconic buildings, recently converted into a music and arts hub. The Duke and Duchess will then travel to see the Northern Spire, an ambitious and striking new bridge over the River Wear, due to open in spring 2018.

27 February - The Duchess will visit the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to learn more about the College’s global health programmes to reduce maternal and newborn mortality worldwide, and will attend a roundtable discussion on tackling the stigma around women’s health.

Later that day, Kate will visit St Thomas' Hospital to officially launch a campaign to promote nursing worldwide. Her Royal Highness will visit a specialist ward, take part in a roundtable discussion and deliver a speech to mark the launch of the Nursing Now campaign.

28 February - The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of the National Portrait Gallery, will visit the exhibition 'Victorian Giants: The Birth of Art Photography'. Forming the Gallery's first Patron's Trail, Kate has selected images from the exhibition for which she has written personal captions that will be displayed alongside the photographs. The Duchess has also written a foreword to the exhibition catalogue.

19 May - The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor.

12 October - The wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank at Windsor.